September 27, 2007

SHF #35: It's Fig-a-rific!

The most delicious fig I ever tasted was plucked from a neighborhood tree that we obsessively watch and whose fruit we gently squeeze every time we walk by. The fruit was a deep, deep purple and had a drop of figgy dew on its lips. Perfectly ripe, its sweetness melted onto my tongue, leaving behind the crunchy seeds. I believe that the fact that the fig was "borrowed" adds to its allure. The tree this fantastic piece of fruit came from grows on the side of an apartment complex and looks as if it just magically sprouted one day. During fig season we casually stroll a block up to check on the development of "our" figs. We've met a few neighbors too doing the same thing as us.

When I saw that SHF this month was all about figs, I got very excited. I am a recent convert to the Church of the Fig. I have also had my eye on this recipe for quite a while and am glad that this challenge was the kick in the pants I needed to finally make it. Of course, it comes from Claudia Flemming's inspirational book The Last Course. Unlikemanyother attempts, this recipe was too simple for me to screw up, nor did it involve every single piece of kitchen equipment I possess.

Dive in!

The result is a lovely puddle of golden green, accented by the dark purple of the figs. The creme fraiche center adds a welcome richness and a hint of tart so the sweetness of the melon and figs isn't overpowering. It's drop dead gorgeous too.